Today, I would like to highlight some initiatives, charity in nature, made available by those with hearts as vast as oceans to provide love to those in needs and fair chance for them to share the world. These are just examples, and there are many more organizations – orphanage, old folks home, spastic centre, dialysis centre etc – offering helping hands to those in need. Congratulations to all, may Allah accept your good deeds.

Raudhatus-Sakinah Johor

Few years ago, it took us a while to decide whether or not we should be establishing raudhatus-sakinah, an outfit to help youngsters involved in social problems, most of which resulting in pregnancy. It brought diverse opinon depending on the angle from which you were looking from. It was a big commitment and it was not easy to swallow, unless we were convinced to do it. In the end, we agreed and the centre is now in full operation in Kempas, helping the mostly teenager tenants to go through difficult times and to help them finding their way to the right path. Since then, the demand is always higher than the capacity and the management was forced to turn down some applications.

Raudhatus Sakinah provide shelter and guidance to Muslim girls (13-25 years old) to provide them a second chance to start over for a good and more meaningful life. It takes a lot of sacrifices to make it running smoothly, with consistent batches of tenants coming in to replace those who have “graduated”. I have always admired the volunteers who sacrificed their time, energy and money to make the project a success, because, it is always full of challenges.

Reach Out Malaysia

Once, one of my sons told me about an organisation that he was involved in – Reach Out, an outfit that focuses on one very straightforward effort, feeding the homeless. It may sound trivial, but it is quite technical. It may sound unimportant, but to the beneficiaries, it is a big deal. In the back alleys of Kuala Lumpur, there are many homeless and Reach Out, along with some other organisations offer helping hands. Actually, there are variety of people among the homeless. Some are drug addicts, some are jobless people, some are people who have full time jobs but do not have enough money to rent a house since they have to earn for many others back home, some were those who have been misinformed and manipulated or cheated, some are abandoned children and elderly, plus many more…

On average, 1200 packs of biscuits, snacks, drinking water, fruits, and hot food are now distributed to the poor weekly.

Rumah Nursalam

Rumah kanak-kanak Nursalam is another example of simple, yet complex initiative that benefits many. It served the street children, many of whom would have been trapped within the neglected society, denied of education and decent upbringing. If they ever manage to reach adulthood, depending on their luck, many would end up with petty jobs if not lured into prostitutions or criminal activities. Following years of struggle, the centre is now up and running with donations coming from those who cares.

Last weekend, as I was driving near Melaka Baru, I saw a charity clinic. The writing on the wall told me that it was run by Taiwan Budhist Tzu Chi organization. As I was in a hurry, I didn’t stop to meet the management, and I do not know whether they provide free services or charging a fraction of the costs. Perhaps I’ll stop by sometime in future. More information on their activities can be obtained at http://eng.tzuchi.my/

Supplying aids using trucks and boats, assisted by the military, to the villages trapped by the flood in 2006/2007 in Lenga, Muar

I have met this organisation earlier in Muar, Kota Tinggi and few other places during the big flood in 2006/2007. Moving around in a small lorry, they were delivering mats and blankets. They were then, manned by mostly middle age ladies. Along with them, we were delivering aids (foods, clothings, toileteries etc) to the flood victims through our “disaster and Emergency Response unit – DERU” .

Photo of 2006 – A 10 years old Amin Arshad distributing sweets to the flood victims in Skudai

The building of charitable and benevolent society

As a country continues to prosper, the community needs more charity organization to fill in the voids created by the capitalist world we’re in. With more services being privatised, the needs for insurance are growing faster than the bushes and weeds. Be it education, healthcare, housing and many other basic necessities, majority of the people have got to be prepared to pay. To some, it is affordable, to others, it is simply beyond reach – not even close to be thought of. Reflecting on these, I’m more than convinced that a major portion of the responsibility should be borned by the government, so that there will be only smaller voids for the citizens to fill up.

In many developed nations, charity organizations continue to grow, and new ones are consistently emerging. Never mind their motivation – be it religious, political, or simply the act of goodness – most importantly, services are provided for those in needs. And that’s a good example to follow.